After you close your OKX account, your data is not permanently deleted right away, but the account cannot be recovered. Once you close it, there's a 30-day cooling-off period during which you cannot re-register with the same phone number, email, or identity information. After the cooling-off period ends, you can re-use your original info to create a new account or bind it to an existing one.
Step 1: What Really Happens to Your Data After Account Closure
Many users think that "closing account" means your data disappears instantly, but that's not how it works.
Scenario A: The account itself is permanently closed & cannot be recovered
Once closed, you can never log in again or retrieve any transaction history. If you might need OKX in the future, the platform suggests choosing "freeze account" instead of "close account."
Scenario B: Your personal data is kept for a certain period
When you close the account, the system asks you to confirm that you understand the consequences, including how personal data is handled. Due to the privacy policy and legal requirements, some data — like transaction records and identity verification information — will be kept for a mandatory retention period. The platform does not actively delete it, but it will no longer be used to provide services to you.
What you should know: You're clear that "account unrecoverable" and "data retained" are two separate things. Closing an account does not instantly wipe all traces.
Risk note: If you didn't export a full transaction history CSV before closing, you will not be able to log in and view any of it later. Although some data may be kept for legal reasons, you as an individual user cannot access it again. Always export all records you need before closing.
Step 2: Check When You Can Re‑register
Scenario A: During the 30‑day cooling‑off period — you cannot re‑open an account
The moment you submit the closure request, a 30‑day cooling‑off period begins. During this time, you cannot use your original phone number, email, or identity document to create a new account. If you change your mind, this window exists so you have a chance to reconsider, though the official guide doesn't specify if you can cancel the closure within the period.
Scenario B: After the 30‑day cooling‑off period — you can re‑use your original info
Once the period is over, you can register a new account with the same phone number, email, and identity information, or link that info to an existing account. According to the platform: the phone number and email can be re‑used once, as long as the old account status was normal; identity information can be re‑used unlimited times.
What you should know: You can figure out whether the cooling‑off period has passed based on the date you submitted the closure.
Step 3: Understand the Real Limits of Re‑registering with the Same Identity
Although OKX allows you to re‑use your identity information many times, there are a few important points to keep in mind:
Association risk: The platform has strong systems to link the same ID number, device ID, and IP range. Even if you can re‑register with the same identity, the risk control system may treat your new account as related to the old one.
You need to re‑do KYC
After re‑registering, you will have to complete identity verification from scratch. Even if you were verified before, the new account's KYC is independent and does not carry over the old account's verification status.
What you should know: "Allowed to re‑register" does not mean you'll be treated like a brand‑new user. Your new account might face stricter risk checks.
How to Check Your Remaining Restrictions
If you submitted a closure request and are still within 30 days: try registering with your old phone number or email. The system should say the info is already in use or that you're still in the cooling‑off period.
If the 30‑day cooling‑off period has ended: try to re‑register. If it works, the cooling‑off period is over.
After you re‑register and log in for the first time, go to the Assets page and check for any historical transaction data. If it's empty, you have a completely new and separate account.
Next step: If you haven't closed the account yet but think you might need to open one again later, we strongly recommend exporting all your trade history as a CSV file and storing it on your device. After closing, you can only request historical records through customer support, and you may not get the full data. It's much simpler and more reliable to export everything yourself before you close the account.
